In 2016 662 million vacation days went unused by American workers. Taking vacation days has been shown to increase work productivity, improve mental and physical health, improve relationships and increase your chance of getting a raise. In honor of Plan Your Vacation Day on January 30th, we're here to inform you of some great Utah Valley experiences you could have in 2018.
Ride the 89
The US Route 89 has been called America's most scenic road trip. This route goes all the way from the Mexican to Canadian borders, but we may be a little biased when we say some of our favorite scenery lies inside of Utah County. Coming from the south, the Utah County portion of the US 89 starts just north of Indianola. As you head north, it will connect up with US-6 in Spanish Fork Canyon and then become Main Street and State Street while traveling through different cities until it connects up to I-15 as you head towards Salt Lake. The entire Utah County Route is about 55 miles and would take you about an hour to drive in a straight shot, but we suggest stopping to explore. While you're in the area check out Thistle, a ghost town that was severely flooded in the 1980's, and view some of the abandoned buildings that are still standing. Spanish Fork Canyon is a beautiful scenic drive and a must see in the fall when the colors change. As you leave the canyon you'll enter the more populated areas of Utah County. We suggest stopping to check out some of the historic main streets along the way. If you come in the summer, chances are you'll hit one of the numerous city festivals, such as Art City Days, The Freedom Festival, Strawberry Days and the Lehi Round-Up . The city festivals are the highlights of the year for many, with PRCA Rodeo's, carnivals, fireworks, races and tons of family friendly entertainment! You'll find plenty of hotels and campgrounds along this route, so adding an extra day or two to your itinerary is easily done.
Temple Road Trip
For many LDS travelers, they've made it a bucket list item to hit all the LDS temples in the United States. No list would be complete without visiting Utah County! We've teamed up with @TempleRoadTrip to help you accomplish your goals. TempleRoadTrip is sponsoring a program to visit 18 Temples in 2018. They've created a Utah Temple poster and stickers for each of the 18 Utah LDS temples. Every time you visit a temple you mark it with a sticker. Share your progress on Instagram with TemplerRoadTrip and you could win prizes! We carry a handful of these poster/sticker sets in our Visitor Center in Provo. Come in and grab your sheet. Don't forget to check off all of the LDS temples in our area while you're here.
- Payson
- Provo City Center
- Provo City
- Timpanogos
If you're interested in keeping with the Temple theme but broadening your horizons, we suggest visiting the Krishna Temple in Spanish Fork. This temple is beautiful and offers tours every day from 10 AM to 7 PM. While they host multiple events throughout the year, their Holi Festival of Colors in March is a can't-miss experience.
A post shared by What You Doin', Utah? (@wyd.utah) on
Themed Foodie Scavenger Hunt
One of the best parts of vacationing is trying new or different cuisine! Why not plan a themed food scavenger hunt in Utah County? Food trails are a popular way to experience a destination, and Utah County has a lot of unique eateries waiting to delight your taste buds. A themed night of top ranked cupcake shops according to yelp reviews is perfect for the sweet tooth traveler. Or do your own version of a worth-it episode, where you find the most expensive pizza and cheapest pizza in the valley and decide which gives you the most bang for your buck. One of our favorites is a hamburger drive-inn scavenger hunt. Utah County has a bunch of small town hamburger stops, like Ripple's or the Santa Queen, that are great to stop at after a day of adventures. However, if your goal is to try them all, you'll definitely need to stay a few days!
For more ideas on vacation planning in Utah Valley, check out some of our itineraries or our calendar of events.
